Stripefoot's Christmas Carol
by OJ with a Hint of Lemon
Summary: Merry Christmas PKQ!
1. Before

"Good morning!"

"Good morning!"

"Good morning, Stripefoot!"

Stripefoot growled at his Clanmates. Frost nipped at his nose and snowflakes spun past his eyes as he pushed his way through the ThunderClan warriors to the fresh-kill pile.

"Hey Stripefoot!" A ginger she-cat mewed happily by the prey. Snowflakes flecked her fur. She plucked out a quilled and pushed it forward. "Want to share?"

Stripefoor growled again. "No!" He pulled the squirrel under a bush and tore into it. His eyes narrowed as he met the she-cat's hurt gaze. She turned away and ate a mouse by herself.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a Clan meeting!"

Stripefoot looked up to see Blazestar standing on the Highledge. He grumpily pulled himself to his feet and shuffled over to where the rest of ThunderClan was gathering. He found a seat in the back and plopped down in the snow.

"Tonight is the Gathering!" The orange leader boomed. "I will be choosing who will attend. Of course, me, Berrywish, and Feathernose will be there." He nodded to the medicine cat and deputy. "As for warriors, I will be talking Snowpaw, Kestrelfur, Amberheart, Flywing, Bluepaw, Leafwhisker, and..."

Stripefoot stood up, ready to look for a patrol to join.

"Stripefoot."

Stripefoot stopped wit a jolt. "WHAT?" he yowled. All of the cats turned to look at him with fear in their eyes.

Blazestar jumped off of the Highledge and walked over to Stripefoot. "You have to get over this eventually. Mouse tail would want you to move on."

"You have no idea what Mousetail would have wanted!" Stripefoot growled in Blazestar's face.

"Enough!" Blazestar shouted. "You are going and that is that! Everyone who will be attending, go rest up! We leave at sundown!" At that, the orange leader stalked into his den.

"Bah humbug!" Stripefoot snapped. "I hate Gatherings! They are nothing but pointless!"

"Go to sleep!" Blazestar's meow screamed from the leader's den.

Grumbling, Stripefoot stumbled into the warrior den and curled up in his nest. He heard the other warriors attending the Gathering settle down around him, but he blocked them out. His eyes squeezed shut, and he shivered as he drifted off into an angry sleep.


	2. Past

Stripefoot woke up with a jolt. He looked around to see the other cats sleeping. Something felt off. He noticed the ginger she-cat sleeping in the nest next to him, and prodded her with his paw. He drew back in shock; she was freezing.

He ran around the den, pressing a paw to everyone. "Leafwhisker? Kestrelfur? What's going on?"

"Hello, Stripefoot."

Stripefoot whirled around. "Mousetail?"

A brown tom hovered at the back of the den. Shadows drenched his fur, and his eyes were black. Stripefoot shuddered as Mousetail came forward.

"W-w-w-what's going on? Aren't you in StarClan?"

"No," Mousetail growled darkly. "I live in the Dark Forest now. And you will too, unless you do something."

"What are you talking about? The Dark Forest? No way. I am not going there!"

Mousetail advanced. "Yes you are. But you are being given a new chance. Today you will be visited by three StarClan ghosts." Mousetail began to fade, the shadow in his fur pooling to the ground. The darkness swept towards Stripefoot, and he tried to scramble away, to no avail. Stripefoot let out a terrified wail.

Suddenly, the shadows turned to a bright light. Stripefoot froze as the skinning patch rose into the shape of a cat. Suddenly, the light shattered, and a beautiful white she-cat with round hazel eyes. Syripefoot's jaw dropped as she walked forward and swept her tail over his flank.

"Hello Stripefoot," she purred. "I am the Ghost of Clan Past, or Past for short." She winked. "Today, I hear it's your past we are exploring."

Stripefoot snapped out of his trance. "No... No, please no."

Past just smiled. "It's your lucky day, Stripefoot. We get to remember what happened long ago." She ran her tail down his spine, and Stipefoot shivered.

Suddenly, the den transformed. All of the cats vanished, and the snow outside evaporated.

"Come on," Past purred, prancing outside of the den. Cautious, Stripefoot followed.

"Hurry up, Stripepaw!" Kestrelfur called from across the camp.

Stripefoot gasped as he saw a younger version of himself prance over to where his former mentor was waiting with about half the Clan. "No..." he whispered. Past ignored him.

"Aren't you so excited?" Stripefoot heard his young self meow to a brown apprentice. _Mousetail_.

"ShadowClan is going to regret messing with us!" the apprentice yowled.

"Mousepaw..." Stripefoot saw Blazestar, Moisetail's old mentor, walking forward. "Punishment is not just for fun. We need to take battle seriously."

Mousepaw looked at his paws. "Yes, Blazestorm." However, as soon as the then-deputy turned away, Mousepaw made a face at Stripepaw, and the two snorted.

Stripefoot shook, but he couldn't look away. "Past... Why?"

"Shh!" Past whispered.

"Alright!" A loud voice meowed. The former leader, Hailstar, strutted towards the patrol. "We are off to battle!"

"YES! YES YES YES!" Mousepaw and Stripepaw chanted as the large group left ThunderClan camp. Past trotted after, motioning for Stripefoot to follow. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he followed.

He saw his younger self walking with a black she-cat. "Lilyheart?" he whimpered. Sprinting, he was able to catch up with them.

The she-cat licked Stripepaw's head. "Your first battle, and I get to fight along with you! Oh, I love you very much, dear."

Young Stripepaw ducked away. "Mo-om! I'm an apprentice now! I don't need your help!"

Lilyheart purred. "Of course you don't, my little warrior." She nudged him towards where Mousepaw was walking. "Go talk with your friend."

Stripefoot choked up. "Lilyheart..." he whispered. He walked forward to lick her shoulder, but to his surprise, his tounge went through her pelt.

"We are not really here, Stripefoot," Past's voice range behind him, and he turned to see her behind him. She smiled. "The battle is beginning."

Stripefoot whirled around again. They were at the ShadowClan border. And ShadowClan was waiting for them. Just as he knew they would.

Suddenly, everything was turmoil. Cats screeched and blood spattered the grass. "Lilyheart!" Stripefoot wailed over all of the noise. He picked out her black pelt battling a brown tom. "NO!" Stripefoot screamed.

Suddenly, the battle seemed to go in slow motion. He watched, horrified, as the tom smacked his paw against his mother's neck. A sickening _snap_ rang through the air as Lilyheart fell to the ground, blood pooling from her mouth.

"Retreat!" Hailstar's mew screamed, and ThunderClan cats flushed towards the oak forest, leaving Lilyheart dead on the dirt.

The forest swirled before Stripefoot's tear stained eyes, Past being the only thing clear. The trees turned orange, and leaves fluttered off. Everything cleared up as the leaves rustled.

"Hurry up, Stripefoot!" A voice called, and Mousetail emerged. He had his typical scowl etched on his face. Stripefoot had missed that scowl.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," a younger Stripefoot grumbled as he pushed through the falling leaves. "Let's just get this over with."

"Agreed," Mousetail growled. "ShadowClan is dirt. We should, just drive them out out, like they once did to WindClan." Young Stripefoot just shrugged. Mousetail approached the border and placed his scent markers. Young Stripefoot did the same.

"Hey," Mousetail suddenly meowed. "No one's here. Let's take some territory."

"Don't do it," Stripefoot whispered to his younger self. However, young Stripefoot's face darkened.

"Lets do it."

Mousetail grinned, and the two young toms began to head into ShadowClan territory.

"Hello," a voice called, and three ShadowClan cat stalked out of the pines.

"What do you want?" Mousetail growled.

"I just wanted to tell you not to do that. You will regret it."

Mousetail growled. "Make us."

The leading ShadowClan cat smirked. "Let's go, then." At that, he leaped at Mousetail.

Stripefoot backed away. "Why are you showing me this?" he yowled at Past, but she only purred.

"You must learn from your past," she advised.

Stripefoot directed his eyes to the fight at the border. He saw himself lunge at one of the ShadowClan cats as Mousetail took the other two. He watched as his best friend bit into the neck of a cat, and his neck snapped.

"W-w-what did you just do?" the other cat stuttered.

"You saw correctly," Mousetail growled. "And you'll be next if we can't have the territory."

The cat backed away, and the other cat struggled out of young Stripefoot's grasp. Blood speckled the grass as the two sprinted away. "We'll get you for this!" they screamed.

Young Stripefoot licked blood out of his fur. "What do you think is going to happen next?" he mewed.

Mousetail glared at the pine trees. "Who cares? More territory for us."

The forest swirled again, and the young toms vanished. The sun set quickly before everything was normal again.

"Follow me," Past meowed, beckoning for Stripefoot to come. He knew what was coming.

Past lead him over the tree bridge to the island. He saw every Clan gathered.

Sweetstar of ShadowClan was speaking. "ThunderClan has been stealing our territory!" she yowled.

Hailstar eyes widened. "If any of my warriors have stolen you territory, it wasn't on my watch." ThunderClan's leader turned towards the audience. "My warriors, whose fault is this?"

To Stripefoot's horror, Mousetail stepped forward. "It was me," she claimed boastfully. "ShadowClan deserves it." To more horror from Stripefoot, his younger self nodded.

"How dare you!" Sweetstar growled. Suddenly, the Gathering went dark. Clouds had covered the moon. The truce was over.

"That's it!" Sweetstar screamed. "ShadowClan ATTACK!"

Stripefoot crouched down to the ground and covered his head with his paws as battle cried filled the air. He felt a paw on his shoulder, and looked up to see Past's gorgeous hazel eyes. She pointed across the clearing to where Mousetail was grappling with Sweetstar. He stared, horrified, as Sweetstar delivered the death blow to Stripefoot's best friend.

"No, no no no!" Stripefoot screamed. Then everything went black.


	3. Present

Stripefoot woke up with a start. He was back in the warrior's den. He saw the ginger she-cat next to him, and cautiously poked her. She was still cold.

"Hey, hey, hey!" a cheerful voice called, and Stripefoot saw an orange tom materialize.

"You... Who are you?" Stripefoot asked, still shaking from his encounter with Past.

"I am the Ghost of Clan Present!" he boomed. "Or Present, as Past calls me. How'd you like her?"

When Stripefoot said nothing, Present chuckled. "You have a Gathering to see! The present is a gift, that's why they it a present! Now, shall we go to a Gathering?"

Stripefoot sighed. "I'm guessing no isn't an option, is it?"

"HAHAHA!" Present laughed. "Now, let's go!" Present ran his tail along Stripefoot's spine, and he felt the forest rush past him in a blur. Suddenly, he and Present were standing at the Gathering.

Blazestar began to speak. "ThunderClan has been having a great leaf-bare! Prey has been running well, and we have a new apprentice, Bluepaw!"

For the first time, Stripefoot got a good look at the new apprentice. He knew that he was a cripple, and because of that, he had just blocked him out.

The other leaders gave their reports, but Stripefoot walked up to Bluepaw. He was sitting with his mother and father, Leafwhisker and Flywing.

"We are so proud of you, sweetie!" Leafwhisker purred. Flywing licked Bluepaw's head.

Bluepaw purred. "Thank you. I am so glad that I get this chance, given..."

Leafwhisker shook her head. "Don't talk like that. You deserve this as much as anyone."

"I know, Mom." Bluepaw purred.

Sweetstar concluded her report, ending with a wary look at Blazestar. "You may now share tounges," she cried.

Leafwhisker saw a warrior from WindClan and beckoned her over. "Heathercloud! This is my son, Bluepaw!"

Heathercloud purred. "Hello Bluepaw! Finally I get to meet the beautiful kit of Leafwhisker and Flywing!"

Bluepaw licked his chest fur. "Do I meet your expectations?" he asked nervously.

Heathercloud laughed. "Of course."

"Come on, Bluepaw," Flywing mewed. "I want you to meet some other apprentices." Flywing walked off, and his son followed. Stripefoot followed.

"This," Flywing introduced, "is Flowerpaw. She's from RiverClan."

"Hi!" Flowerpaw meowed. "Um... what's wrong with you?"

"Flowerpaw!" another RiverClan scolded. "Don't be rude!"

"It's okay," Bluepaw smiled at Flowerpaw. "I have a disease that weakens my paws. I'll be all right, though."

Flowerpaw smiled, and was about to say something, when the RiverClan cat called her. "Come on, Flowerpaw, we have to go!"

Flowerpaw ran towards the rest of RiverClan. "Bye, Bluepaw!" sha called.

"We are leaving as well!" Blazestar called.

Stripefoot stared after the blue-gray apprentice as he limped towards Blazestar, and he felt his heart soften. "He's so sick. Will he be alright?" he said to no one in particular.

"That depends," a voice whispered, and Stripefoot turned to see Present, but instead of being cheerful and loud, his eyes were dark. He was flanked by two scrawny kits.

"W-w-who are they?" Stripefoot stuttered.

Present growled. "The tom is Ignorance, the she-cat is Want. Beware them both, but especially the tom. Ignorance will be the Clan's fate.

Then everything went dark.


	4. Future

Once again, Stripefoot opened his eyes in the warrior den. He looked up, and to his horror, he saw a huge black tom with a scar over his left eye staying at him.

"Future? Are you the Ghaost of Clan Future?" Stripefoot asked. The tom nodded, only slightly, then without a word, left the den. Stripefoot got to his feet and followed.

To his surprise, instead of emerging in the camp, he and Future were in a dark portion of the forest. He saw the elders digging one hole, another already dug and refilled, both side by side. A large portion was gathered around the rightmost one.

"A mourning of the dead?" Stripefoot called to Future. "What are we doing her?"

Future just stared at him with his one good eye, then beckoned him forward. Cautious, Stripefoot took a seat next to Leafwhisker. To his surprise, she was crying.

Blazestar took a step forward. "May Bluepaw walk safely in StarClan!" he yowled to the stars, and the limp body of the scrawny apprentice was brought forward.

Stripefoot choked. "No... not Bluepaw. He was so young, so innocent! Why?" No one answered him.

Everyone watching sniffles as the elders scooped dirt over Bluepaw's body. Once it was done, they stared for a minute more, then began to trudge back to camp.

Stripefoot turned to Future. "Why are you showing me this! He was barely an apprentice! Why are you showing my such cruelty?"

Future walked over to the filled hole and began scratching at it with a paw. A pile of dirt slowly grew around him and he hollowed out a patch of the grave. Stripefoot watched, confused, until Future backed away. The black tom pointed at the hole, and Stripefoot walked over. He gasped.

His own dead, lifeless face looked up at him.

"No!" Stripefoot whirled around to face Future. "This can't be! I died unloved? They didn't even mourn me? What must I do?"

Pan evil grin spread across Future's mangled face. He seemed to triple in size, string down at the pathetic, tiny Stripefoot.

"I want to change!" Stripefoot wailed. "I want to change!" He tried to scramble away from Future.

Suddenly, the ground below him gave way, and Stripefoot plummeted down, down, down. He looked up to see Future still grinning, grinning in the most horrifying way possible. He looked down to see shadowy trees zooming closer, closer, _closer_.


	5. After

Stripefoot felt a paw on his flank, and woke up with a start, panting. He looked around, terrified, to see the shocked ginger she-cat staring at him.

"Great StarClan, Stripefoot, are you alright?" she asked.

Stripefoot's lit up. "Amberheart! Amberheart, oh Amberheart! Thank you, Amberheart, for everything! Oh, I love you, I love you!"

Amberheart looked surprised. "I-I though you hated me," she whispered, her pelt heating up.

"No, no, no!" Stripefoot cried. "I was angry about your brother's death. You reminded me so much of Mousetail. But it's okay now!" Without waiting for her to relay, he ran out of the den, leaving her shocked.

Blazestar looked up, surprised. "Stripefoot," he meowed. "Are your ready for the Gathering?"

"Yes! YES! I am so ready!" His eyes fell on Leafwhisker and Bluepaw. "But first I must do something."

Stripefoot walked up to the blue-gray apprentice. "Hello, Bluepaw." He saw Leafshisker get a guarded look in his eyes, and wrap her tail around her son, but Bluepaw was oblivious.

"Hello!" he squeaked. "You're that grumpy tom, aren't you?"

Stripefoot purred. "That would be me. Would you like to sit with me at the Gathering?" He looked at Leafwhisker. "If that's all right with you, of course."

Bluepaw looked eagerly at his mother. "Can I? Please?"

Leafwhisker softened, and drew in her tail. "Of course, sweetie," she mowed.

Bluepaw bounced up and down a little awkwardly on his bad leg. "Then let's go!" he cried.

As the patrol left the camp, Stripefoot looked back to see Amberheart smiling at him. He smiled back, when something caught his eye. In the center of the camp, three figures were visible. One, white and beautiful, another, orange and sunny, the last, black and terrifying. They all nodded at him before blowing away on a gust of wind.

Bluepaw smiled next to Stripefoot, then tipped back his head and called, "STARCLAN BLESS US EVERYONE!"


End file.
